Thomas Penn "Tommy" Newsom (February 25, 1929 – April 28, 2007) was a saxophone player in the NBC Orchestra on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, for which he later became assistant director. Newsom was frequently the band's substitute director, whenever Doc Severinsen was away from the show or filling in for announcer Ed McMahon. Nicknamed "Mr. Excitement" as a sarcastic take on his low-keyed, often dour persona, Newsom was often a foil for Carson's humor. His brown or blue suits were a marked contrast to Severinsen's flashy stage clothing.[1]

On April 28, 2007, Newsom died of bladder and livercancer at his home in Portsmouth. He was 78 years old. Newsom had been married to his wife Patricia for 50 years; they had one daughter, Candy, as well as a son, Mark, who died in 2003[1]

Newsom and Carson used audiences' low expectations for Tommy to good advantage:

One night Carson turned to Newsom during his monologue and asked why he always had his hands clasped together behind his back. Newsom replied "Vapor lock!", bringing down the house with laughter. Carson quipped, "I'm out here busting my buns to get a laugh, with one joke after another, and you just say 'vapor lock' and crack us all up!"[4]

Newsom, normally known for wearing bland suits, in contrast to Severinsen's colorful attire, once appeared in a sport coat similar to Carson's own coat for an evening's show. Carson, noticing the similarity, asked him where he got the coat. Newsom responded simply, "It was in my closet at home, John," breaking up Carson and the audience.

One night, Newsom wore on the show a very bold (for him) yellow suit. Carson commented, "Look at that big, dumb canary." Newsom's response: "You’ll know what kind of bird I am when I fly over you."[3]